Our tours are led by a professional tour guide. You can expect a nice balance of history and casual conversation. You can also expect to make some new friends.

The tours last approximately three (3) hours, which includes a 30-45 minute picnic lunch at a secret location (bring your own lunch)

We walk at a leisurely pace as one of our goals is to enjoy being outside. Olmsted Linear Park is stunningly beautiful. It is also ideal for walking.

Deepdene Park is an old growth forest. The trails in this segment of the Olmsted Parks are unpaved and are very hilly.

Logistics

Please arrive 15 minutes before the start time of the tour

The itinerary and tour route may vary based on various factors including group size, weather, etc.

We typically go if it is drizzling; we cancel if it is raining or if the temperature is expected to stay below 50-degrees F.

Registration fees are non-refundable but you may self-cancel at anytime and apply 100% of your fee to a future tour

You should be physically fit and capable of walking 3 - 5 miles in moderately hilly terrain at a moderate pace.

If you have any doubts about your physical condition please do not register for this tour.

The minimum age to participate is 12. Stroller-age children are welcome as long as they don't disrupt the tour.

Pets are welcome as long as they don't bother other guests, are on a leash and you clean up after them.

Cameras are fine but our tours may not be recorded by any means.

Please contact guest support if you have specific questions not answered above.

History of the Park

In August 1995, local residents and non-profit organizations joined forces to come up with a strategy to stabilize and rehabilitate the Olmsted Linear Park. The planning process, led by the Olmsted Parks Society of Atlanta, Park Pride, the Druid Hills Garden Club and the Druid Hills Civic Association, incorporated the interests of residents, garden clubs, park advocates and preservationists. The Olmsted Linear Park Master Plan was developed with counsel from public officials and from local and national consultants, including historian Charles Beveridge, editor of the Olmsted Papers.

The major stakeholders of the park, The City of Atlanta, DeKalb County Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs and the Fernbank Musuem of Natural History, adopted a Master Plan in 1997 to establish the Olmsted Linear Park Alliance (OLPA), rehabilitate the park and provide for the park’s ongoing maintenance.

The OLPA Board of Directors include representatives from the Druid Hills community, the Neighborhood Planning Unit and the Olmsted Parks Society of Atlanta along with ex-officio representatives from the City of Atlanta, DeKalb County and Fernbank. OLPA, a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization, has undertaken the fundraising, restoration and maintenance activities recommended by the Master Plan.

All six park segments have been rehabilitated, work that has included the addition of nearly 6,000 linear feet of paths and the installation of 2,600 new trees and shrubs. The most expensive aspect of the restoration was the burial of utility lines. Approximately 11 miles of conduit and cable lie beneath the period lampposts that ring the park.

Frederick Law Olmsted Sr. in 1890. (Courtesy of the National Park Service, Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site, Brookline, Massachusetts)

The Olmsted Legacy

In 1890 Atlanta businessman Joel Hurt engaged Frederick Law Olmsted, Sr., to prepare a plan for developing the area now known as Druid Hills. Olmsted was recognized as the nation’s preeminent designer of parks and public open spaces. His work included Central Park in New York City, Prospect Park in Brooklyn, the Emerald Necklace of Boston, the Biltmore Estate in Asheville and the nation’s Capitol Grounds. The Olmsted firm submitted a preliminary plan to Hurt in 1893 in which the six-segment Linear Park was first laid out. The firm completed the final plan in 1905, two years after the death of Olmsted, and remained involved with the work until 1908, when the property was acquired by the Druid Hills Corporation. The area was then developed and the Park completed under the leadership of Coca-Cola magnate Asa G. Candler. The design of Druid Hills soon became the standard by which other Atlanta developments were measured. The curving stretches of its landmark greenspace have delighted generations of area residents and the thousands of persons who come and go along Ponce de Leon Avenue every day.

Our series of hyper-local walking tours continues with a walking tour of Historic Decatur! There is an optional breakfast at Sweet Melissa's on the front end and optional get-together at Brickstore Pub on the back-end. We will also be stopping for lunch at Chai Pani.

You must be in excellent physical condition to participate on this tour

Pets are welcome as long as they do not bother or scare other guests

Children 13, and older, are welcome

We go if drizzling; we cancel / reschedule if its raining

Reg fees are non-refundable but you can apply them to a future tour if you have to cancel for any reason

Decatur History

The evolution of the city of Decatur can perhaps be best understood by studying the development of its city center, commercial areas, and its neighborhoods. Developed during different decades, with different characteristics, uses, and economic climates, the various city districts and neighborhoods, each with its own unique character, have coalesced into the vibrant and diverse modern-day Decatur.

Early 1800s: First European Settlers

The first European settlers began moving into the area that is now DeKalb County in the early 1820s. A majority of the early settlers were farmers or skilled tradesmen of English, Scottish, and Irish ancestry. Migrating from other parts of Georgia, the Carolinas and Virginia, they settled mainly on medium-to-small farms, and the area in what is now DeKalb County was rural and sparsely populated. In 1822, the Georgia General Assembly designated a site for a new courthouse in the newly-established DeKalb County on the site of the current Old Courthouse on the Square. On December 10, 1823, the General Assembly incorporated the City of Decatur.

Mid-1800s: Small City

The arrival of the railroads in the 1830s and 1840s had little impact on Decatur, other than offering the convenience of moving goods and passengers. By 1845, Atlanta had been established as the regional transportation center, and the growth and development in the region moved westward to Atlanta. Atlanta’s growth soon far eclipsed that of the small city of Decatur. While Atlanta experienced explosive growth, development, and sprawl, as early as 1849, the City of Decatur promoted itself as a quiet, prosperous, small town that offered a peaceful, healthful, and beautiful place to live.

Mid- to Late-1800s: Moderate Growth

As with most cities, the commercial and residential development of Decatur grew outward from the city commercial center. During the mid- to late-1880s, in addition to providing legal and administrative services to the county government, the city also began to provide goods and services to the public, becoming the commercial center for DeKalb County. Small businesses, commercial, and retail enterprises began to be established in buildings mostly clustered around the Square. Unfortunately, none of these original historic structures remain.

Some of Decatur’s earliest residences date to the late 1880s-1890s, and were located on or near Sycamore Street. Before the advent of the railroads in the 1830s and 1840s, this street, formerly called Covington Road, was the stagecoach line from Augusta and was the main east-west thoroughfare in the area. Residential development naturally grew along this route, close to the city center. Many fine residences were built on Sycamore Street, Hillyer Place, Sycamore Place, Barry Street, Pate Street and North Candler Street, a few of which remain today.

The area just south of the railroad line, known as “Little Decatur,” did not see extensive residential development until the 1880s, though early influential citizens had farms and large homesteads on the land along what is now South McDonough Street before that time.

By the late 1880s, a prosperous residential neighborhood had developed south of the railroad near the intersection of College Avenue and South Candler Street. As was the residential pattern of the time, wealthy families built their homes near the railroads, which offered convenient travel to its residents. It was in this established wealthy neighborhood in 1889 that the Decatur Female Academy was founded. This early school grew into what is now Agnes Scott College, and the college had then, and continues to have, an important impact on residential development in this area. Remaining in this area today are the historic neighborhoods of McDonough-Adams-Kings Highway, Agnes Scott College, and South Candler.

Though the railroad lines had a minimal effect on Decatur’s early development, the trolleys and later, the automobile, had dramatic impacts on residential growth patterns. In 1841, the first trolley line was established between Decatur and Atlanta, and other local routes were formed. From that time until the early 1900s and the beginning of the Automobile Age, residential development occurred along and near these trolley lines. The trolleys offered a faster, cleaner and less expensive means of travel, and because there were numerous lines, they were more accessible to more residents. Winnona Park and West Clairemont are among the neighborhoods that were influenced by the trolley lines. The town of Oakhurst (incorporated in 1910) originally developed as a streetcar suburb of Atlanta, following the North Decatur trolley line, which was constructed in 1892.

1900s: Growth of the Suburbs and the Automobile Age

The invention of the automobile and its availability to middle classes changed the fabric of American life. Because of the ease and freedom of movement offered by the automobile, citizens could live wherever they chose, no longer tethered to city centers for jobs, schools, goods and services, and the idea of living in a “garden suburb” became a reality for many.

Many garden suburbs were developed in Decatur between 1910 and 1940. These neighborhoods offered residents larger lots with the houses set farther back from the street, as well as spaces for a garage and driveway. In these new suburbs, the focus of family activities changed from the front-porch society of the nineteenth-century to residences oriented toward private back yards, large enough for gardening, gathering, and play. No longer needing to follow the grid of a railroad or trolley line, roads in these new suburbs tended to follow the natural topography, with winding, hilly streets.

In the years between 1910 and 1940, evidence of the popularity of the garden suburb in Decatur can be seen in the neighborhoods of Lenox Place, Greenwood-Pattillo-Howard, West Clairemont, Oakhurst, and Adair Park. Other examples of these newer garden suburbs developed during this time include Great Lakes, Glennwood Estates, and College Heights.

Development continued from the 1940s into the 1960s in outlying residential neighborhoods. Many of these new residences were built in the popular ranch style. The ranch house, once overlooked as a common, indistinct house type, has recently been recognized as a classic American style that represents the age and culture of the 1950s and 1960s.

Leila Ross Wilburn, who attended Agnes Scott College, was one of only two women registered as an architect in Atlanta in 1920. Ms. Wilburn designed and built a home in the neighborhood where she lived with her widowed mother and younger siblings. She published several popular plan books that emphasized her status as a Southerner and a woman. Through these plan books, she influenced neighborhood design throughout the Southeast during the 1920s.

In 1907 John Mason and Poleman Weekes purchased property that was to become Decatur's first residential subdivision. The district known today as the M.A.K. neighborhood is named for its main streets, McDonough, Adams and Kings Highway, and encompasses ten city blocks of varying size. Ms. Wilburn was employed by Mason and Weekes to design many of the homes for the new subdivision.

The MAK neighborhood retains many of the Wilburn-designed homes and offers excellent examples of craftsman style homes that were popular during the first three decades of the 20th century.

Stephen Decatur

Decatur was named in honor of Stephen Decatur, a popular early-American naval hero. Stephen Decatur was born in 1779 in Maryland and was raised in Philadelphia. At the age of 19 he joined the newly formed U.S. Navy, and rose rapidly in rank.

He led daring raids in the wars against the Barbary pirates along the northern coast of Africa, and returned home a hero in 1805. He remained in the Navy and commanded several ships during the troubles with Great Britain that led to the War of 1812. While commanding the USS United States, he defeated one of Great Britain's finest ships, the Macedonian.

Following the War of 1812 Stephen Decatur returned to the Mediterranean as commander of a squadron that defeated the Barbary pirates a second time. He returned to the U.S. again in triumph. Shortly thereafter in a speech in Norfolk, Virginia, he spoke his famous line: "Our country. In her intercourse with foreign nations may she always be right; but our country right or wrong."

Commodore Stephen Decatur returned to Washington, D.C., and became a highly respected Navy commissioner. He was killed in a duel on March 22, 1820, and his death was mourned throughout the country.

Three years later, in 1823, the City of Decatur was named in his honor.

This information assembled by Walt Drake from The Story of Decatur, 1823-1899 by Caroline McKinney Clarke, and The History of DeKalb County, Georgia, 1822-1900 by Vivian Price. For more information or to schedule a program on Stephen Decatur, call the DeKalb History Center at 404-373-1088.

Join us for a fun and informative tour & picnic of Piedmont Park in Midtown, one Atlanta's largest and most beautiful parks.

What to Expect

All of our Piedmont Park tours begin and end at the gazebo located on the bridge that crosses Lake Clara Meer

Our tours are led by a professional tour guide. You can expect a nice balance of history and casual conversation. You can also expect to make some new friends.

The tours last approximately three (3) hours, which includes a 30-45 minute picnic lunch at a secret location (bring your own lunch)

We walk at a leisurely pace as one of our goals is to enjoy being outside. Piedmont Park is the crown jewel of ATL parks. It is also ideal for walking.

Logistics

Please arrive 15 minutes before the start time of the tour

The itinerary and tour route may vary based on various factors including group size, weather, etc.

We typically go if it is drizzling; we cancel if it is raining or if the temperature is expected to stay below 50-degrees F.

Registration fees are non-refundable but you may self-cancel at anytime and apply 100% of your fee to a future tour

You should be physically fit and capable of walking 3 - 5 miles in moderately hilly terrain at a moderate pace.

If you have any doubts about your physical condition please do not register for this tour.

The minimum age to participate is 12. Stroller-age children are welcome as long as they don't disrupt the tour.

Pets are welcome as long as they don't bother other guests, are on a leash and you clean up after them.

Cameras are fine but our tours may not be recorded by any means.

Please contact guest support if you have specific questions not answered above.

History of the Park

Piedmont Park has a rich history spanning over the course of nearly two centuries. Since 1822, Piedmont Park has continuously evolved, changed hands, and underwent several transformations. It first began as a forest, then a farm, then a fairground and suburban park, and finally to the urban park that it is today.

HISTORY OF PIEDMONT PARK

From Forest to Farm

Piedmont Park was initially a forest

In 1834, Samuel and Sarah Walker, one of the area’s pioneer settlers, purchased the land for $450

Walkers built a cabin on what is now the Active Oval, cleared the trees, and transformed it into farmland

In 1857, their son Benjamin Walker purchased the farm from his father and settled into a new log cabin where the Piedmont Driving Club is located today

STONE BALESTRADE FROM THE COTTON STATES & INTERNATIONAL EXPOSITION – 1895

Fair Ground
Many expositions and fairs were held at Piedmont Park during the next seventeen years, most notably the Piedmont Exposition of 1887 and the Cotton States and International Exposition of 1895. The Piedmont Exposition was regional. Its purpose was to promote the industrial and agricultural might of the region. The Cotton States and International Exposition was a World’s Fair. This expo had a grander purpose than its predecessor – to promote all the Southern cotton states and encourage good relations and trade with the international community. The Cotton States and International Exposition ran for 100 days, featured 6,000 exhibits, and attracted 800,000 visitors.

Several features of the Park created then still remain today

Today’s ball fields were carved out of the hillside below the Driving Club to form a horse racetrack. Five years later, this field hosted the first game in what has become the oldest intercollegiate football rivalry in the South, Georgia vs Auburn. From 1902 – 1904, the Crackers, Atlanta’s original professional baseball team played ball on the fields of Piedmont Park before moving to a stadium on Ponce de Leon Avenue.

In 1887, a small lake was created from a spring that flowed into the park near today’s Visitor Center.

In 1895, the lake was enlarged to approximately its current size of 11.5-acres and named Clara Meer.

The stone balustrades scattered around the park once held steps leading to the major building built for the 1895 Cotton States and International Exposition.

Public Park
In 1887 and again in 1894, the owners of Piedmont Park considered selling it to the City of Atlanta. This purchase was a tough sell for a number of reasons – the park was considered too far away from the city; although the price for the land was fair. Atlanta already owned Grant Park and didn’t see the need for another park. The third attempt to sell the park was successful. On June 15, 1904, the City of Atlanta purchased Piedmont Park and extended its city limits north to encompass the park acreage, as well as several developing neighborhoods between West Peachtree Street and North Highland Avenue.

In 1909, the City elected to transform the decaying fairgrounds into a park and enlisted Olmsted Brothers, pre-eminent landscape architects of the time, (and sons of Frederick Law Olmsted), to develop a master plan for the park. Due to budget limitations, their plan for Piedmont Park was not fully implemented. Nevertheless, the Olmsted Brothers’ 1912 plan greatly influenced the development of Piedmont Park. In fact, the current master plan, adopted by the City of Atlanta and Piedmont Park Conservancy in 1995, honors the brothers’ original vision for the park.

During its first quarter century as a city park, many of today’s features familiar to Park began

In 1910, the first permanent building in the new park, the rest house was erected, funded by the sale of the remaining 1895 Exposition buildings. In 1996, Piedmont Park Conservancy restored this historic building to create the Visitors’ Center located near the 12th Street gate.

During 1913 and 1914, tennis courts were erected on the site of the old 1895 Manufacturers Building, the same site as today’s Tennis Center.

To support the swimmers, a wooden bathhouse was built in 1911, eventually replaced by the current stone bathhouse in 1926. Clara Meer was host to swimmers, diving platforms, sunning platforms and a giant, double water slide.

The Park Drive Bridge was built, which provided residents of the developing neighborhoods east of the park more convenient access. (1916)

In 1976, the high ground of Piedmont Park was leased by the City of Atlanta to the Atlanta Botanical Garden.

In 1979, the golf course was closed, freeing up 70 acres of green space on what is now Oak Hill and the Meadow.

In 1983, Piedmont Park was closed to through traffic, creating a more pedestrian-friendly park and opening the pathways to a new mix of wheeled traffic—skateboarders, bicyclists, and rollerbladers.

During the 1970s and 1980s, the rapid growth of organized events produced a dramatic increase in park usage. The Dogwood Festival (est. 1936), the Arts Festival of Atlanta (est.1954) and Gay Pride (est.1972) attracted large, diverse crowds to the park.

In-park musical performances also took center stage, ranging from the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Allman Brothers concerts, to the Montreux Jazz Festival. Increased park usage compounded by a decreased city budgets led to a clear deterioration of Piedmont Park.

PIEDMONT PARK TRANSITIONS TO A PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP

In 1989, unwilling to accept the decline of their beloved park, a small group of concerned citizens and civic leaders joined together to form Piedmont Park Conservancy, a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to the restoration and preservation of Piedmont Park. In 1992, The Conservancy established a Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Atlanta, making official the public–private partnership and mutual goals to rehabilitate and maintain Piedmont Park.

Through the generosity of corporate, foundation and individual contributions, Piedmont Park Conservancy has raised more than $66 million in private funds as it works to complete the Master Plan including the renovation of Oak Hill, Lake Clara Meer and the Meadow. Through its member support, Piedmont Park Conservancy helps to keep Piedmont Park safe, clean and beautiful, and offers a variety of educational programming.

We walk at a leisurely pace as one of our goals is to enjoy being outside. Grant Park is one of ATL's most beautiful parks. It is also ideal for walking. It also is home to some of ATL's most magnificent trees!

Logistics

Please arrive 15 minutes before the start time of the tour

The itinerary and tour route may vary based on various factors including group size, weather, etc.

We typically go if it is drizzling; we cancel if it is raining or if the temperature is expected to stay below 50-degrees F.

Registration fees are non-refundable but you may self-cancel at anytime and apply 100% of your fee to a future tour

You should be physically fit and capable of walking 3 - 5 miles in moderately hilly terrain at a moderate pace.

If you have any doubts about your physical condition please do not register for this tour.

The minimum age to participate is 12. Stroller-age children are welcome as long as they don't disrupt the tour.

Pets are welcome as long as they don't bother other guests, are on a leash and you clean up after them.

Cameras are fine but our tours may not be recorded by any means.

Please contact guest support if you have specific questions not answered above.

History of the Park

The Grant Park neighborhood was named for Lemuel P. (L.P.) Grant, a civil engineer for the Georgia Railroad who has been called the "Father of Atlanta." As an agent for the Western Railroad Company and the Georgia Air Line Railroad, Grant helped to bring the railroad to Atlanta. During the Civil War, in his capacity as chief engineer for the Department of the Militia, C.S.A., he planned and supervised the construction of defensive lines around the city. Ater the war, he continued to serve the city as a member of the committee that named streets, member of the city council, Board member of the Bank of the State of Georgia and served on the committee to draft the new city charter in 1873.

Grant lived in a huge 1858 Italianate mansion in the center of his vast land holdings now called Grant Park. Between 1853 and 1883 the city acquired all of the land where Oakland Cemetery and the Park itself now stand, by gift or trade from Col. L.P. Grant. The remaining parts of Col. Grant's property were subdivided between 1885 and 1905 as the building boom began on all four sides of the city’s new park properly named the L.P. Grant park. During the years 1889-1898, Mr. G.V. Gress gave the city of Atlanta the original zoo and the Cyclorama, which were placed in the L.P. Grant Park.

Grant Park, as a neighborhood, began to be populated in the 1890's by middle and some upper middle class families. Craftsmen built many of the architecturally distinctive homes you see today. Most of the lots were shallow and narrow with unpaved alleys in the back of the houses, from the days when the city sewerage wagons had to have access to the outhouses.

The neighborhood reached its zenith around 1905. Shortly after the turn of the century, the neighborhood's battle with the automobile began when some of the wealthier residents, who could afford to buy cars, were drawn to such faraway places as Druid Hills, Morningside and Buckhead. Grant Park remained middle and upper middle class into the 1950's. In the 1960's, the automobile was responsible for cutting the neighborhood in half by means of a six-lane highway. Grant Park was severely disrupted and declined in the wake of I-20's construction.

A restoration trend began in Grant Park in the early 1970's and the neighborhood began to blossom in the late 80s and into the 1990s. Demolition of older homes has largely been halted and new construction seeks to conform to the character of the old neighborhood. During the 1980's, the entire area, both north and south of I-20, was placed on the national register of historic places. In 2000, the neighborhood became Atlanta's largest Historic District, bringing additional zoning protections.

Grant Park today is a mixture of the old and new residents with people of all levels of education, age and racial backgrounds living in the same neighborhood. The park is today visited by more than a million visitors yearly.

Join us for a fun and informative tour of Historic Inman Park, one of Atlanta's oldest and most beautiful neighborhoods. We have several different routes so, chances are, you will see something different every time you go on one of these tours...

Historic Inman Park Walking Tour & Lunch

This 4- mile walking tour is a fun and interesting way to get to know Atlanta's first suburb. The tour begins and ends at the Inman Park MARTA station. We stop for lunch at a secret location each time. The focus is on the history and homes of this stunning neighborhood. You will also get to see new developments such as the Atlanta Beltline, Krog Street Market, Studioplex and more.

If you arrive early there is a wonderful coffee shop called Proof Bakery next to the Inman Park station

The itinerary and tour route may vary based on various factors including group size, weather, etc.

We typically go if it is drizzling; we cancel if it is raining or if the temperature is expected to stay below 50-degrees F.

Registration fees are non-refundable but you may self-cancel at anytime and apply 100% of your fee to a future tour

You should be physically fit and perfectly capable of walking 5 miles in moderately hilly terrain at a brisk pace. If you have any doubts about your physical condition please do not register for this tour.

The minimum age to participate is 12. Stroller-age children are welcome as long as they don't disrupt the tour.

Pets are welcome as long as they don't bother other guests, are on a leash and you clean up after them.

Cameras are fine but our tours may not be recorded by any means.

Please contact guest support if you have specific questions not answered above.

Points of Interest Seen on this Tour

Atlanta Beltline Eastside Trail

Atlanta Stoveworks (Krog Street Market)

Beath-Dickey House

Callan Castle

CSX Hulsey Yard

Delta Park

Freedom Park

Inman Park Historic District

Inman Park Schoolhouse

Inman Park Transit Station

Inman Park United Methodist Church

Joel Hurt Cottage

Joel Hurt House

Krog Street Market

Krog Tunnel

Peach House

Springvale Park

Trolley Barn

Winship House (Sugar Magnolia B&B)

Woodruff House (Inman Park B&B)

Historical Overview of Inman Park

Inman Park was the first planned residential suburb developed in Atlanta. Its promoter, Joel Hurt, was one of the city's most important early builders. Improvements to the district, such as streets, a park, part of Atlanta's first electric streetcar line, landscaping and tree planting were well underway by the time the first lots were put up for auction in 1889, officially opening the development of the Inman Park suburb. Subsequently, more land was acquired and more lots subdivided by Joel Hurt's company, the East Atlanta Land Company, and Samuel Inman, the financier and cotton broker for whom the area was named. Inman Park was for some years occupied by many prominent Atlanta families who built typical late 19th-century Victorian homes on its picturesque landscaped streets. The founder of the Coca-Cola Company, Asa G. Candler, and his brother Warren A. Candler, a bishop in the Methodist Church and supporter of Emory University, both lived in the district. Among other important citizens of Atlanta who also lived in the neighborhood were Wilbur Fiske Glenn, an influential Methodist minister for whom Glenn Memorial Church on the Emory University campus is named; George King, founder of Atlanta's King Hardware; former Governors Allen Candler and Alfred W. Colquitt; Robert Winship, founder of Winship Machine Company; Ernest Woodruff, financier and officer of the Coca-Cola Company and his son Robert, who later assumed a prominent role in the Atlanta community.

Found in this historic district are examples of Queen Anne architecture, Colonial Revival, and Shingle Style homes and bungalows. Some notable buildings include the Jacobean Revival home designed by Atlanta architect W. T. Downing, called the Ernest Woodruff House, built in 1902. At the intersection of Euclid and Elizabeth streets are the Joel Hurt House and the Asa G. Candler House. The Hurt House, a brick building also designed by Downing, has a landscape designed by the Olmsted Brothers, the sons and successors of Frederick L. Olmsted, and the home itself reflects aspects of the Prairie School style. The Candler House is a monumentally scaled, red brick home articulated by white wooden details including a two-story Ionic columned portico, arched windows and doors, and ornamental cornices. Distinctive landscape features also characterize Inman Park; in addition to the two triangles of open space at the intersection of Euclid and Edgewood avenues, known as the Triangle and the Delta, Springvale Park provides a large corridor of green space in the center of the area. Inman Park's landscape designer was James Forsyth Johnson.

Inman Park underwent a slow decline for much of the 20th century until about 1970 when area residents founded the Inman Park Restoration, Inc. Inman Park is historically important because it provides an Atlanta example of the typical late 19th-century picturesque suburb conceived in a form similar to Frederick Law Olmsted's earlier influential Riverside outside of Chicago. Inman Park later influenced the growth of other Atlanta suburbs in the late 19th century.

Inman Park lies near the eastern boundary of the city of Atlanta and is due east of the financial center called Five Points. The district is roughly bounded by Lake, Hurt and DeKalb aves. and Krog St. The houses in the district are private residences and are not open to the public.

This 17-mile tour will follow Route #3 of this map. The tour starts and ends at the Bankhead Station. We will ride the full length of Proctor Creek and will see where it flows into the Chattahoochee River (see map). There will be an optional get-together after the tour at 5 Seasons Brewing in West Midtown.

ABOUT PCT

The first section of the Proctor Creek Trail opened on 5/7/18 and it's a beauty. This is the second of several hikes and bike tours we will be leading over the coming months. The trail head to the new PCT is about 1,000 yards north of the Bankhead MARTA station.

Join us for a fun and informative tour of Freedom Park, one of Atlanta's largest and most beautiful parks. We alternate among eight distinct routes so, chances are, you will see something different every time you go on one of these tours...

We alternate among eight distinct routes so, chances are, you will see something different every time you go on one of these tours.

All of these tours begin and end at the Carter Center (see this video for exact location)

The tours are led by a professional tour guide. You can expect a nice balance of history and casual conversation. You can also expect to make some new friends.

The tours last approximately three (3) hours, which includes a 30-45 minute picnic lunch at a secret location (bring your own lunch)

We walk at a leisurely pace as one of our goals is to enjoy being outside. Freedom Park is a beautiful park. It is also ideal for walking.

LOGISTICS

Please arrive 15 minutes before the start time of the tour

The itinerary and tour route may vary based on various factors including group size, weather, etc.

We typically go if it is drizzling; we cancel if it is raining or if the temperature is expected to stay below 50-degrees F.

Registration fees are non-refundable but you may self-cancel at anytime and apply 100% of your fee to a future tour

You should be physically fit and capable of walking 3 - 5 miles in moderately hilly terrain at a moderate pace.

If you have any doubts about your physical condition please do not register for this tour.

The minimum age to participate is 12. Stroller-age children are welcome as long as they don't disrupt the tour.

Pets are welcome as long as they don't bother other guests, are on a leash and you clean up after them.

Cameras are fine but our tours may not be recorded by any means.

Please contact guest support if you have specific questions not answered above.

ABOUT FREEDOM PARK

Freedom Park is the largest linear passive park in the City of Atlanta at just over 200 acres of pastoral rolling green space. With the advent of the Atlanta Beltline, Freedom Park is a critical connection to movement throughout the city by bike or by foot. Did you know thAT you can begin at the far east end of the Olmsted Linear Parks, at the Decatur city limits and make your way all the way to Ansley Park, all on trails, and with a just a few easy street crossings? The Freedom Park trails will connect you to downtown Atlanta, Inman Park, Old Fourth Ward, Candler Park, Poncey-Highland, Virginia Highland, Little 5 Points, The Atlanta BeltLine, The Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site, and so much more.

Freedom Park is Atlanta’s Art Park – check-out the links above to learn more about the permanent art installations in the park. Freedom Park is also home the the Carter Center and Jimmy Carter Presidential Library.

Join us for version 2.0 of our Baby Driver filming location tour! This multi-media walking tour will feature FUN, FOOD, MUSIC and (a FILM discussion about BABY DRIVER, the highly-acclaimed movie that has been dubbed, "A high-octane love letter to Atlanta." To do this right, we have to allot five hours, which includes lunch near one of the main filming locations.

THE PLOT

We will meet at a secret location in Downtown Atlanta and work our way (on foot and by MARTA) to as many of the filming locations as possible.

We will talk about the film and listen to music from the movie along the way. We'll watch a clip or two as well.

Our tours are led by a professional tour guide. You can expect a nice balance of history and casual conversation. You can also expect to make some new friends.

The tours last approximately three (3) hours, which includes a 30-45 minute picnic lunch at a secret location (bring your own lunch)

We walk at a leisurely pace as one of our goals is to enjoy being outside. Olmsted Linear Park is stunningly beautiful. It is also ideal for walking.

Deepdene Park is an old growth forest. The trails in this segment of the Olmsted Parks are unpaved and are very hilly.

Logistics

Please arrive 15 minutes before the start time of the tour

The itinerary and tour route may vary based on various factors including group size, weather, etc.

We typically go if it is drizzling; we cancel if it is raining or if the temperature is expected to stay below 50-degrees F.

Registration fees are non-refundable but you may self-cancel at anytime and apply 100% of your fee to a future tour

You should be physically fit and capable of walking 3 - 5 miles in moderately hilly terrain at a moderate pace.

If you have any doubts about your physical condition please do not register for this tour.

The minimum age to participate is 12. Stroller-age children are welcome as long as they don't disrupt the tour.

Pets are welcome as long as they don't bother other guests, are on a leash and you clean up after them.

Cameras are fine but our tours may not be recorded by any means.

Please contact guest support if you have specific questions not answered above.

History of the Park

In August 1995, local residents and non-profit organizations joined forces to come up with a strategy to stabilize and rehabilitate the Olmsted Linear Park. The planning process, led by the Olmsted Parks Society of Atlanta, Park Pride, the Druid Hills Garden Club and the Druid Hills Civic Association, incorporated the interests of residents, garden clubs, park advocates and preservationists. The Olmsted Linear Park Master Plan was developed with counsel from public officials and from local and national consultants, including historian Charles Beveridge, editor of the Olmsted Papers.

The major stakeholders of the park, The City of Atlanta, DeKalb County Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs and the Fernbank Musuem of Natural History, adopted a Master Plan in 1997 to establish the Olmsted Linear Park Alliance (OLPA), rehabilitate the park and provide for the park’s ongoing maintenance.

The OLPA Board of Directors include representatives from the Druid Hills community, the Neighborhood Planning Unit and the Olmsted Parks Society of Atlanta along with ex-officio representatives from the City of Atlanta, DeKalb County and Fernbank. OLPA, a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization, has undertaken the fundraising, restoration and maintenance activities recommended by the Master Plan.

All six park segments have been rehabilitated, work that has included the addition of nearly 6,000 linear feet of paths and the installation of 2,600 new trees and shrubs. The most expensive aspect of the restoration was the burial of utility lines. Approximately 11 miles of conduit and cable lie beneath the period lampposts that ring the park.

Frederick Law Olmsted Sr. in 1890. (Courtesy of the National Park Service, Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site, Brookline, Massachusetts)

The Olmsted Legacy

In 1890 Atlanta businessman Joel Hurt engaged Frederick Law Olmsted, Sr., to prepare a plan for developing the area now known as Druid Hills. Olmsted was recognized as the nation’s preeminent designer of parks and public open spaces. His work included Central Park in New York City, Prospect Park in Brooklyn, the Emerald Necklace of Boston, the Biltmore Estate in Asheville and the nation’s Capitol Grounds. The Olmsted firm submitted a preliminary plan to Hurt in 1893 in which the six-segment Linear Park was first laid out. The firm completed the final plan in 1905, two years after the death of Olmsted, and remained involved with the work until 1908, when the property was acquired by the Druid Hills Corporation. The area was then developed and the Park completed under the leadership of Coca-Cola magnate Asa G. Candler. The design of Druid Hills soon became the standard by which other Atlanta developments were measured. The curving stretches of its landmark greenspace have delighted generations of area residents and the thousands of persons who come and go along Ponce de Leon Avenue every day.

This walking tour, which covers the western sector of the battlefield, begins at Sherman's Headquarters (Carter Center) and ends at Fort Walker (SE corner of Grant Park). The tour route is about six miles in length and takes about 4.5 hours to complete, which includes a 30-minute picnic lunch stop. See below for related tour routes...

Participating on this tour** is a powerful experience. On July 22, 1864 over 70,000 soldiers engaged in an 8-hour battle that began on the corner of Clay St and Memorial Dr in modern-day Kirkwood. The fighting spread westward and northward. The battlefront stretched from modern-day DeKalb Ave in Inman Park to Glenwood Ave in East Atlanta Village; essentially today's Moreland Ave.

This event is known as the Battle of Atlanta. The battlefield encompassed what are now the neighborhoods of East Atlanta, Edgewood, Kirkwood, Inman Park and Reynoldstown. The eastern boundary of the city's inner fortifications ran through modern-day Grant Park.

By the end of the day over 12,000 men had been killed or wounded. After the war, eye-witnesses reported that, by the end of that day, a river of blood was running down Leggett's Hill, which was located where the I-20 / Moreland Ave interchange is today.

When you consider that this occurred where tens of thousands of Atlantans live, work, eat and play every day you begin to understand why this is such a powerful experience for those who participate. The reason many people don't know about this major battle is that the battlefield was not preserved like we see at Kennesaw and Gettysburgh. The battlefield for the Battle of Atlanta is now covered by a freeway (I-20), busy streets (DeKalb and Moreland Aves), a shopping center (Edgewood) and transit station (Inman Park-Reynoldstown).

Just so you know, we do not advocate for either side of the Civil War, nor do we honor those who fought or what they fought for. Our purpose in offering these tours is simply to help those who are interested better understand what happened in this part of Atlanta on July 22, 1864.

Our tour stops range from 5 - 15 minutes in duration and their purpose is to discuss and reflect on what happened at that location. The minimum age to participate is 15.

GETTING THERE & BACK

The Inman Park MARTA station is about one mile from the starting location, which is the Carter Center.

The King Memorial MARTA station is about 1.5 miles from the ending location, which is Ft Walker in Grant Park

NOTE: July 22 is the anniversary of the Battle of Atlanta. On this tour, we will be retracing the steps of the troops almost at the exact hour at which they happened.

This walking tour, which covers the eastern sector of the battlefield, begins at the Walker Monument (Glenwood Triangle) and ends at Sherman's Headquarters (Carter Center). The tour route is about six miles in length and takes about 4.5 hours to complete, which includes a 45-minute lunch stop in EAV. See below for other tour routes...

Participating on this tour** is a powerful experience. On July 22, 1864 over 70,000 soldiers engaged in an 8-hour battle that began on the corner of Clay St and Memorial Dr in modern-day Kirkwood. The fighting spread westward and northward. The battlefront stretched from modern-day DeKalb Ave in Inman Park to Glenwood Ave in East Atlanta Village; essentially today's Moreland Ave.

This event is known as the Battle of Atlanta. The battlefield encompassed what are now the neighborhoods of East Atlanta, Edgewood, Kirkwood, Inman Park and Reynoldstown. The eastern boundary of the city's inner fortifications ran through modern-day Grant Park.

By the end of the day over 12,000 men had been killed or wounded. After the war, eye-witnesses reported that, by the end of that day, a river of blood was running down Leggett's Hill, which was located where the I-20 / Moreland Ave interchange is today.

When you consider that this occurred where tens of thousands of Atlantans live, work, eat and play every day you begin to understand why this is such a powerful experience for those who participate. The reason many people don't know about this major battle is that the battlefield was not preserved like we see at Kennesaw and Gettysburgh. The battlefield for the Battle of Atlanta is now covered by a freeway (I-20), busy streets (DeKalb and Moreland Aves), a shopping center (Edgewood) and transit station (Inman Park-Reynoldstown).

Just so you know, we do not advocate for either side of the Civil War, nor do we honor those who fought or what they fought for. Our purpose in offering these tours is simply to help those who are interested better understand what happened in this part of Atlanta on July 22, 1864.

Our tour stops range from 5 - 15 minutes in duration and their purpose is to discuss and reflect on what happened at that location. The minimum age to participate is 15.

GETTING THERE

The Walker Monument is about 2.5 miles from the Edgewood-Candler Park and East Lake MARTA stations

The Carter Center is about one mile from the Inman Park MARTA station

If you are driving, you might consider parking you car at the ending location and taking Uber or car-pooling with another guest to the starting location.